Sermon #     18                                                    Leviticus Sermons

 

     Title:       The Law of the Consecrations

     Text:       Leviticus 7:11-38

     Subject:  The Law of the Sacrifices

     Date:       Sunday Morning – October 28, 2001

     Tape #    W-65b

     Reading: Psalm 116:1-17

     Introduction:

 

I want to talk to you this morning about consecration, specifically about the consecration of your life to the Lord our God. Consecration is not a word you hear very often these days. In the minds of most, I do not doubt, it is a word that immediately conveys thoughts of great devotion, elevated spirituality, perhaps even a state of superior sainthood.

 

Proposition: The fact is, consecration is neither more nor less than the giving of ourselves to God, the dedication and devotion of our lives to our Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.

 

     Oh, how I pray that God will give each of us grace to consecrate ourselves to him. This consecration to God by faith in Christ is what was typified in all the Old Testament sacrifices of consecration described in Leviticus 1-7. The title of my message is – The Law of the Consecrations. Our text will be Leviticus 7:11-38. Let’s read verses 37-38 together. Then we will look at the specific instructions given in verses 11-38 about the worship of our God.

 

(Leviticus 7:37-38)  "This is the law of the burnt offering, of the meat offering, and of the sin offering, and of the trespass offering, and of the consecrations[1], and of the sacrifice of the peace offerings; {38} Which the LORD commanded Moses in mount Sinai, in the day that he commanded the children of Israel to offer their oblations unto the LORD, in the wilderness of Sinai."

 

     The instructions given in this portion of Leviticus 7 is an inspired recapitulation of the instructions given in chapter 3 concerning the sacrifice of the peace offering. However, there are some very important additions given here. Let me direct your attention to these additional words of instruction. Then, I will show you how our Lord Jesus Christ perfectly fulfilled all these typical sacrifices.

 

(Leviticus 7:11)  "And this is the law of the sacrifice of peace offerings, which he shall offer unto the LORD."

 

     The Peace Offerings were offerings brought to the Lord God by his people as expressions of praise, gratitude, and thanksgiving for God’s great goodness in deliverance.

 

·        Deliverance from Captivity

·        Deliverance from Sickness

·        Deliverance from Great Trouble

·        Deliverance from Destruction

 

The soul, overflowing with gratitude and praise freely, voluntarily brought a sacrifice to the Lord, by which he declared both his gratitude and his personal consecration to God.

 

(Psalms 119:108)  "Accept, I beseech thee, the freewill offerings of my mouth, O LORD, and teach me thy judgments."

 

1.     The peace offerings were sacrifices made by redeemed sinners as redeemed sinners, as those reconciled to God.

 

They were not the sacrifices of men and women seeking peace with God, but the sacrifices of men and women who had obtained peace. This is the position we are in today in Christ. “He is our peace.”

 

·        The Lord God reconciled us to himself judicially when he sacrificed his darling Son for us at Calvary (2 Cor. 5:17-21).

 

(2 Corinthians 5:17-21)  "Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. {18} And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation; {19} To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation. {20} Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God. {21} For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him."

 

·        We have been reconciled to God by the Holy Spirit’s gracious operations in conversion.

 

Now, as reconciled sinners, we gladly, voluntarily give ourselves to our God.

 

(Hebrews 13:10-15)  "We have an altar, whereof they have no right to eat which serve the tabernacle. {11} For the bodies of those beasts, whose blood is brought into the sanctuary by the high priest for sin, are burned without the camp. {12} Wherefore Jesus also, that he might sanctify the people with his own blood, suffered without the gate. {13} Let us go forth therefore unto him without the camp, bearing his reproach. {14} For here have we no continuing city, but we seek one to come. {15} By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name."

 

Illustration: “Chief give himself to Jesus.”

 

(Leviticus 7:12-14)  "If he offer it for a thanksgiving, then he shall offer with the sacrifice of thanksgiving unleavened cakes mingled with oil, and unleavened wafers anointed with oil, and cakes mingled with oil, of fine flour, fried. – (13) Besides the cakes, he shall offer for his offering leavened bread with the sacrifice of thanksgiving of his peace offerings. – (14) And of it he shall offer one out of the whole oblation for an heave offering unto the LORD, and it shall be the priest's that sprinkleth the blood of the peace offerings."

 

2.     The reconciled sinner could not bring his peace offering to the Lord, except he bring with it his leavened bread.

 

He brought his unleavened cakes, anointed with oil. These, we have seen, pointed to Christ in his spotless, holy purity. But why was the worshipper required to “leavened bread with the sacrifice of thanksgiving of his peace offerings” (v. 13)? – The answer is obvious. – All who come to God in a state of reconciliation, come to him in a state of humility, confessing their sin. While we rejoice in the knowledge and assurance of sin’s complete forgiveness by the sacrifice of Christ, we are keenly aware of our personal sinfulness and inward corruptions (1 John 1:8-10;p Isa. 64:6).

 

(Isaiah 64:6)  "But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away."

 

(1 John 1:8-10)  "If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. {9} If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. {10} If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us."

 

(Leviticus 7:15-18)  "And the flesh of the sacrifice of his peace offerings for thanksgiving shall be eaten the same day that it is offered; he shall not leave any of it until the morning. – (16) But if the sacrifice of his offering be a vow, or a voluntary offering, it shall be eaten the same day that he offereth his sacrifice: and on the morrow also the remainder of it shall be eaten: -- (17) But the remainder of the flesh of the sacrifice on the third day shall be burnt with fire. -- (18) And if any of the flesh of the sacrifice of his peace offerings be eaten at all on the third day, it shall not be accepted, neither shall it be imputed unto him that offereth it: it shall be an abomination, and the soul that eateth of it shall bear his iniquity."

 

3.     The offering had to be eaten in the holy place by the priests, and eaten on the same day it was offered.

 

There are many very practical things to be observed from the instructions given in verses 15-18.

 

·        Those who preach the gospel are to live by the gospel (1 Cor. 9:13-14).

·        When the poor soul saw God’s priests immediately eating his sacrifice, he was assured, immediately assured, of the acceptance of his sacrifice by the Lord. – No guess work here. He went home rejoicing in divine approval!

·        Again, the Lord took great care that no part of the sacrifice see corruption. – Anything left over until the third day was to be burned with fire. Why? The Lord Jesus Christ, our great Surety, after being offered as the Sacrifice for our sins, must rise from the dead on the third day. His body could not see corruption.

 

(Psalms 16:9-11)  "Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoiceth: my flesh also shall rest in hope. {10} For thou wilt not leave my soul in hell; neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption. {11} Thou wilt show me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore."

 

(Leviticus 7:19-21)  "And the flesh that toucheth any unclean thing shall not be eaten; it shall be burnt with fire: and as for the flesh, all that be clean shall eat thereof. – (20) But the soul that eateth of the flesh of the sacrifice of peace offerings, that pertain unto the LORD, having his uncleanness upon him, even that soul shall be cut off from his people. – (21) Moreover the soul that shall touch any unclean thing, as the uncleanness of man, or any unclean beast, or any abominable unclean thing, and eat of the flesh of the sacrifice of peace offerings, which pertain unto the LORD, even that soul shall be cut off from his people."

 

4.     Only one who was ceremonially clean could come before the Lord with a peace offering.

 

Our works, our sacrifices, our services, be they ever so great and costly will never be accepted of God until we are ourselves washed, and justified, and sanctified by Christ (1 Pet. 2:5).

 

(1 Peter 2:5)  "Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ."

 

(Philippians 4:18)  "But I have all, and abound: I am full, having received of Epaphroditus the things which were sent from you, an odour of a sweet smell, a sacrifice acceptable, wellpleasing to God."

 

(Leviticus 7:22-36)  "And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, -- (23) Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, Ye shall eat no manner of fat, of ox, or of sheep, or of goat. – (24) And the fat of the beast that dieth of itself, and the fat of that which is torn with beasts, may be used in any other use: but ye shall in no wise eat of it. – (25) For whosoever eateth the fat of the beast, of which men offer an offering made by fire unto the LORD, even the soul that eateth it shall be cut off from his people. – (26) Moreover ye shall eat no manner of blood, whether it be of fowl or of beast, in any of your dwellings. (27) Whatsoever soul it be that eateth any manner of blood, even that soul shall be cut off from his people. -- (28)  "And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, -- (29) Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, He that offereth the sacrifice of his peace offerings unto the LORD shall bring his oblation unto the LORD of the sacrifice of his peace offerings. – (30) His own hands shall bring the offerings of the LORD made by fire, the fat with the breast, it shall he bring, that the breast may be waved for a wave offering before the LORD. -- (31) And the priest shall burn the fat upon the altar: but the breast shall be Aaron's and his sons'. -- (32) And the right shoulder shall ye give unto the priest for an heave offering of the sacrifices of your peace offerings. – (33) He among the sons of Aaron, that offereth the blood of the peace offerings, and the fat, shall have the right shoulder for his part. – (34) For the wave breast and the heave shoulder have I taken of the children of Israel from off the sacrifices of their peace offerings, and have given them unto Aaron the priest and unto his sons by a statute for ever from among the children of Israel. -- (35) This is the portion of the anointing of Aaron, and of the anointing of his sons, out of the offerings of the LORD made by fire, in the day when he presented them to minister unto the LORD in the priest's office; -- (36) Which the LORD commanded to be given them of the children of Israel, in the day that he anointed them, by a statute for ever throughout their generations."

 

5.     The sacrifice of the peace offering had to be brought by the worshipper personally, with his own hands.

 

In all things pertaining to the worship of God, personal faith is required. We must trust Christ ourselves. We must come to him ourselves. We must walk with him ourselves.

 

     Now, look at the last two verses of Leviticus 7. Here the Holy Spirit lumps all these sacrifices together, as if to declare that all these great sacrifices of divine worship and all the instructions concerning them are for one great purpose. The sacrifices were all given to point sinners to Christ. They were all typical of Christ. And all have been fulfilled by Christ.

 

(Leviticus 7:37-38)  "This is the law of the burnt offering, of the meat offering, and of the sin offering, and of the trespass offering, and of the consecrations, and of the sacrifice of the peace offerings; -- (38) Which the LORD commanded Moses in mount Sinai, in the day that he commanded the children of Israel to offer their oblations unto the LORD, in the wilderness of Sinai."

 

(Hebrews 10:10-14)  "By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. {11} And every priest standeth daily ministering and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins: {12} But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God; {13} From henceforth expecting till his enemies be made his footstool. {14} For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified."

 

·        Christ is our true Burnt Offering (Leviticus 1).

(Ephesians 4:32)  "And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you."

 

(Ephesians 5:1-2)  "Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children; {2} And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour."

·        The Lord Jesus Christ is our true Meat Offering, our Offering of Firstfruits (Leviticus 2).

(1 Corinthians 15:19-23)  "If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable. {20} But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept. {21} For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead. {22} For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. {23} But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ's at his coming."

 

·        Christ is our true Peace Offering (Leviticus 3).

(Romans 4:25)  "Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification."

 

(Romans 5:1-11)  "Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: {2} By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. {3} And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; {4} And patience, experience; and experience, hope: {5} And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us. {6} For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. {7} For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die. {8} But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. {9} Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him. {10} For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life. {11} And not only so, but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement."

·        The Lord Jesus is our one and only Sin Offering (Leviticus 4).

(2 Corinthians 5:10)  "For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad."

·        The Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God himself, is our only and our true Trespass Offering (Leviticus 5).

(Isaiah 53)  "Who hath believed our report? and to whom is the arm of the LORD revealed? {2} For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: he hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him. {3} He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not. {4} Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. {5} But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. {6} All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all. {7} He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth. {8} He was taken from prison and from judgment: and who shall declare his generation? for he was cut off out of the land of the living: for the transgression of my people was he stricken. {9} And he made his grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death; because he had done no violence, neither was any deceit in his mouth. {10} Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in his hand. {11} He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities. {12} Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he hath poured out his soul unto death: and he was numbered with the transgressors; and he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors."

The Lord Jesus Christ is our Sacrifice, in whom alone sinners have access to and acceptance with the holy Lord God. He is the Burnt-offering, the Meat-offering, the Peace-offering, the Sin-offering, and the Trespass-offering for all his people. If we would come to God, we must come to God by him. Blessed be his name, we can come to God by him.

Application: How can I persuade you now to come to God, to consecrate yourself to God in Christ Jesus? Christ is the one great Sacrifice who can…

 

·        Atone for sin.

·        Give acceptance with God.

·        Bring peace to your soul forever!


[1] The word “consecrations” might at first appear to be out of place here; but it is not. It is inserted here for two obvious reasons: (1.) The Lord God was just about to give instructions about the consecrations of the priests. And (2.) all acts of public worship are acts of public consecration to God.